What are the benefits of having a VBAC?

  • A successful VBAC allows you to avoid major abdominal surgery and the risks associated with it. These include a higher risk of excessive bleeding, which can lead to a blood transfusion or even a hysterectomy in rare cases, as well as a higher risk of developing certain infections and other organ damage during the procedure.
  • All of the potential complications of major abdominal surgery increase with each cesarean delivery because the scarring usually makes each procedure technically more difficult.
  • A c-section requires a longer hospital stay than a vaginal birth, and your recovery is generally slower and more uncomfortable.
  • If you plan to have more children, you should know that every c-section you have increases your risk in future pregnancies of placenta previa and placenta accreta, in which the placenta implants too deeply and doesn't separate properly at delivery. These conditions can result in life-threatening bleeding and a hysterectomy.
What are the risks of attempting a VBAC?

  • Even if you're a good candidate for a VBAC, there's a very small (less than 1 percent) risk that your uterus will rupture at the site of your c-section incision, resulting in severe blood loss for you and possibly oxygen deprivation for your baby.
  • Also, if you end up being unable to deliver vaginally, you could endure hours of labor only to have an unplanned c-section.
  • And while a successful VBAC is less risky than a scheduled repeat c-section, an unsuccessful VBAC requiring a c-section after the onset of labor carries more risk than a scheduled c-section.
  • With an unplanned c-section after laboring, you have a higher chance of surgical complications, such as excessive bleeding that could require a blood transfusion or a hysterectomy, in rare cases, and infections of the uterus and the incision. And the risk of complications is even higher if you end up needing an emergency cesarean.
  • Finally, there is the risk of the baby having a serious complication that could lead to long-term neurological damage or even death.
  • While this risk is very small overall, it may be higher in women who undergo an unsuccessful VBAC (which would mean a c-section after failed labor) than in women who have a successful vaginal delivery or a scheduled c-section.
​Source: Babycenter